Fame &
Fortune: John Travolta 'Pulp Fiction' saved his career, along with his work ethic By Bonnie Siegler,
Bankrate.com
Bankrate: How great is it to be in iconic work with positive messages like "Hairspray" and "Welcome Back Kotter?"
John Travolta: It's great. I
have to agree with you because I witnessed with my own eyes the '60s and the '70s
and all the decades since, and I've seen the progress. I think you can't take
your eyes off it because there's always more progress to be made, but I am proud
of the fact that I can be part of several movies that have messages deeper than
just entertainment value. And yet, some of them are more light-hearted movies,
where you gracefully allow an audience to interpret the message. You don't
want to hit someone over the head with a message, but you do want to get the message
out. You want to do it with some grace, and I think "Hairspray"
does that without being preachy.
Bankrate:
Ice Cube is doing the "Kotter" remake. How
do you feel about taking maybe a cameo in the
movie?
John Travolta:
I can't wait to see it. I think it will be fun. I think it's a good idea and I
think it's so much smarter that he do it with another perspective than what we
did -- so it's new. As for a cameo, I don't know, I've been approached on it but
I'd have to see what it was and what the real thing was about. It's not about
the money aspect of it -- it's what the new film is about.
Bankrate:
The movie business has been very good to you. What if one of your kids wanted
to follow in your footsteps?
John Travolta:
Well, actually, my daughter, who is beautiful, wants to act. Kelly and I are going
to do a movie called "Old Dogs" with Robin Williams and Ella is going
to be in it. Jett doesn't care at all about acting. But I think maybe acting can
be a family business. I hope I'm acting for a long time to come. I come from
blue collar roots, so I think it's something inside of me that I should work. I
love to entertain, so it's not all about the money.
